Collapsible luggage handcart

ABSTRACT

A generally L-shaped frame consisting of a pair of opposite side parallel L-shaped members including corresponding long and short legs disposed at right angles relative to each other. The opposite side L-shaped members are interconnected at the free ends of the long and short legs by transverse members extending and secured therebetween and a generally U-shaped handle including parallel legs interconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion extending therebetween has the free ends of its legs telescoped into the free ends of the long legs of the opposite side L-shaped members of the frame, the U-shaped frame or member comprising an extendible and retractable handle. Further, a pair of short arms have one pair of corresponding ends thereof pivotally attached to the ends of the long legs of the L-shaped members adjacent the short legs thereof with the arms disposed at right angles relative to the long legs and supported therefrom for angular displacement about the long legs between retracted positions with the arms projecting toward each other and extended positions with the arms projecting away from the sides of the long legs remote from the sides thereof outwardly from which the short legs project. The free ends of the arms are provided with support wheels journaled therefrom about axes extending transversely of the arms and transverse to the long legs and latch structure is provided for selectively retaining the arms in their retracted and their extended positions. Also, latch structure is also provided for releasably securing the U-shaped handle in its extended and retracted positions.

United States Patent n91 Hartway 1 Feb. 11, 1975 COLLAPSIBLE LUGGAGEHANDCART [76] Inventor: James W. Hartway, 6805 Boysenberry Way, ColoradoSprings, Colo. 80918 221 Filed: May 17,1973

[21] Appl. No.: 361,276

[52] US. Cl 280/35, 280/40, 280/47.l3 R [51] Int. Cl. B62b l/04 [58]Field of Search 280/34 B, 35, 47.24, 47.26,

Primary ExaminerDavid Schonberg Assistant ExaminerMichael .l. FormanAttorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57]ABSTRACT A generally L-shaped frame consisting of a pair of oppositeside parallel L-shaped members including corresponding long and shortlegs disposed at right angles relative to each other. The opposite sideL-shaped 34 members are interconnected at the free ends of the long andshort legs by transverse members extending and secured therebetween anda generally U shaped handle including parallel legs interconnected atone pair of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion extendingtherebetween has the free ends of its legs telescoped into the free endsof the long legs of the opposite side L-shaped members of the frame. theU-shaped frame or member comprising an extendible and retractablehandle. Further, a pair of short arms have one pair of correspondingends thereof pivotally attached to the ends of the long legs of theL-shaped members adjacent the short legs thereof with the arms disposedat right angles relative to the long legs and supported therefrom forangular displacement about the long legs between retracted positionswith the arms projecting toward each other and extended positions withthe arms projecting away from the sides of the long legs remote from thesides thereof outwardly from which the short legs project. The free endsof the arms are provided with support wheels journaled therefrom aboutaxes extending transversely of the arms and transverse to the long legsand latch structure isprovided for selectively retaining the arms intheir retracted and their extended positions. Also, latch structure isalso provided for releasably securing the U-shaped handle in itsextended and retracted positions.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures COLLAPSIBLE LUGGAGE HANDCART The handcartof the instant invention has been designed to provide an apparatus whichmay be readily secured to a single piece of luggage without appreciablyincreasing the exterior dimensions of the luggage and in a manner suchthat the handcart may be readily extended from a collapsed position to aposition defining a wheeled handcart capable of supporting at leastseveral pieces of luggage in addition to the piece of luggage to whichthe handcart is secured. In this manner, a person traveling on a publicconveyance may be accompanied by at least several pieces of luggage, oneof which pieces has the handcart of the instant invention attachedthereto in collapsed form, and may, at his destination, assemble all ofhis luggage on the handcart after the latter has been extended.

The handcart is further designed in a manner such that a single piece ofluggage attached thereto may be supported from the handcart in a mannersuch that the handcart may be readily extended and collapsed withoutdisturbing the structure by which the luggage is secured to thehandcart.

The main object of this invention is to provide a collapsible handcartfor luggage of lightweight construction and which may have a piece ofluggage secured thereto when the handcart is in a collapsed position ina manner such that the handcart does not appreciably increase theexterior dimensions of the luggage.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a handcart that may be readily extendedto an operative position without any modification of the structure bywhich the handcart is attached to the luggage.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a handcart inaccordance with the preceding objects and which, when extended, may beutilized in supporting at least several pieces of luggage.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a handcart whichmay be readily collapsed and/or extended even by persons having lowmechanical aptitude.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a handcart in accordance with the preceding objects whichwill conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simpleconstruction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will beeconomically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the handcart in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handcart in a collapsed position andwith a single piece of luggage attached thereto in a manner such thatthe handcart may be readily extended without disturbing the attachingstrap by which the luggage is secured to the handcart;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the handcart illustrating themanner in which several pieces of luggage may be supported therefromwhen the handcart is in the extended position;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the handcart in the collapsedposition and with portions of the frame of the handcart being brokenaway and illustrated in vertical section;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIG. 4and with a partially extended position of the handle of the handcartillustrated in phantom lines and a fragmentary illustration of thesupport wheels of the handcart in the operative position illustrated inphantom lines;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIG.4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 8-8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the juncture betweenone pair of short and long legs of the L-shaped frame membersillustrating the manner in which the wheel support arms are supportedfrom the frame, portions of the wheel support arm being broken away andillustrated in vertical section; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged elevational view of the central portion of thehandcart illustrating the manner in which the handle portion ofthe cartmay be secured in the retracted position.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates the handcart of the instant invention. The cart 10includes an L-shaped frame referred to in general by the referencenumeral 12 and including a pair of opposite side L-shaped frame members14 and 16. Each L-shaped member 14 and 16 includes a long leg 18 and ashort leg 20 joined to the corresponding long leg at the lower endthereof by means of a smoothly curving integral portion 22 of thecorresponding legs 18 and 20.

A channel member 24 extends between and is secured to the free ends ofthe short legs 20 by welding and a channel member 26 extends between andis secured to the free ends of the long legs 18 by welding. Further, athird channel member 28 extends and is secured between the mid-portionsof the long legs 18 by means of welding.

A generally inverted U-shaped handle is provided and referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 30. The handle 30 includes a pair ofparallel legs 32 interconnected at their upper ends by means of anintegral bight portion 34 and a central brace 36 is also provided on thehandle 30 and parallels the legs 32. The central brace 36 is spacedevenly between the legs 32 and has its upper end secured to the centralportion of the bight portion 34 by means of welding.

The bight portion 38 of the channel member 26 has a central opening 40formed therethrough through which the lower end of the central brace 36is slidably received. In addition, a support sleeve 42 is supported fromthe bight portion 38 adjacent the opening 40 and slidably receives aspring-urged locking pin 44 therethrough, the end of the pin 44 adjacentthe central brace 36 being selectively receivable either in a loweropening 46 formed in the central brace 36 in order to retain the handle30 in the extended position or an upper opening 48 in the central brace36 in order to secure the handle 30 in the retracted position.

The bight portion 50 of the channel member 28 includes a central opening52 with diammetrically opposite enlargements 54 and the lower end of thecentral brace 36 includes a cross pin 56. When the handle 30 is in theretracted position illustrated in FIG. 4, the lower end of the centralbrace 36 is projected downwardly through the opening 52 with theopposite ends of the pins 56 received through the diametrically oppositeenlargements 54 of the opening 52. However. the pin 56 limits extensionof the handle 30 by abutment with the undersurface of the bightportion38 of the channel member 26.

It will also be noted from FIG. I of the drawings that the bight portion38 of the channel member 26 includes additional opposite end openings 60and that the bight portion 50 of the channel member 28 includes similaroppositeend openings 62. A pair of extension rods 64 are slid-ablyreceived through the openings 60 and 62 with their lower ends abuttedagainst fasteners 66 secured through the front flange 68 of the channelmember 28. In this manner, downward movement of the extension rods 64 islimited by the fasteners 66 and yet the rods 64 may be upwardlywithdrawn from the openings 60 and 62 when the handle 30 is in theextended position illustrated in FIG. 1. However, when the handle 30 isin the collapsed position illustrated in FIG. 4, it will be noted thatthe undersurface of the bight portion 34 of the handle 30 abuts thecapped upper ends of the extension rods 64. The extension rods 64 may beremoved from their positions illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings if itis desired to extend the short legs 20. The extension rods 64 aretelescopingly receivable in the forward open ends of the short legs andmay be lightly jammed in the base ends of the legs 20 where they beginto curve into the lower ends of the long legs 18.

A pair of fasteners 68, see FIG. 9, are secured through the rear sidesof the lower ends of the long legs 18 and a pair of mounting collars 70are rotatably received on the long legs 18 immediately above thefasteners 68. U-shaped arms 72 are secured to the collars 70 and supportwheels 74 are journaled between the free ends of the legs 76 of the arms72. Also, the upper marginal edge portions of the U-shaped arms 72 areprovided with spaced upwardly opening notches 78 and 80 and a pair ofaligned mounting sleeves 82 are mounted on the outer side of the lowerend of each leg 18 and support a lockpin 84 which is spring-urgeddownwardly for seated engagement in one of the notches 78 and 80. It maybe readily seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 9 that when the pins 84are seated in the notches 78 the arms 72 are in the extended operativepositions and that when the pins 84 are withdrawn and subsequentlyseated in the notches 80 the arms 72 are in the retracted positions,also see FIG. 2.

From FIG. 1 of the drawings it may be seen that a first side strap 90provided with a buckle 92 is supported from the left hand long leg 18immediately above the channel member 28 and that a second strap 94 issecured to the right hand long leg 18 immediately above the channelmember 28. Of course, the free end of the strap 94 is engageable withthe buckle 92 carried by the strap 90 and may thus be utilized to strapa piece of luggage such as the luggage 96 illustrated in FIG. 2

on the cart 10. In addition, a third strap 98 provided with a buckle 100is attached to the central portion of the channel member 26 and a fourthstrap 102 is attached to the central portion of the transverse channelmember 24. Hereagain, the free end of the strap 102 is engageable withthe buckle 100 of the strap 98 and thus the straps 98 and 102 may bealso utilized to secure the luggage 96 on the cart 10.

With attention again invited to FIG. 2, it may be seen that the cart 10,when in the collapsed position, may have the luggage 96 secured theretoby the straps 90. 94, 98 and 102 with the cart 10 only slightlyincreasing the height and thickness of the luggage 96. Of course, theluggage 96 may be shipped or stored in the condition illustrated in FIG.2 of the drawings. Then, when it is desired to roll the luggage 96 to adifferent location, the pins 84 may be retracted and the arms 72 may bepivoted to the operative positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of thedrawings after which the pins 84 may be released for seating in thenotches 78. Thereafter, the pin 44 may be retracted and the handle 30may he slid from the retracted position thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 ofthe drawings to the extended position illustrated in FIG. I. Thereafter,the cart 10 may be used in the manner of a handcart to roll the luggage96 from one place to another.

In addition, should it be desired to carry several pieces of luggage bymeans of the handcart 10, the luggage 96 as well as additional pieces ofluggage I06, 108 and 110 may be arranged on the cart 10 after the latterhas been extended in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.Then, the straps 98 and 102 may be utilized to secure the luggage 96,106, 108 and U0 on the cart 10 during its movement from one location toanother.

If for any reason a larger piece of luggage then the luggage 96 is to besupported from the handcart 10, the extension rods 64 may be removedfrom their stored positions illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings andtelescoped into the open forward ends of the short legs 20 thusincreasing the effective length of the legs 20.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreasily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A handcart comprising a generally L-shaped frame including oppositeside transversely registered L- shaped side frame members each havinggenerally right angularly disposed tubular short and long legs, firsttransverse brace means extending between and secured to the free endportions of said short legs and second transverse brace means extendingbetween and secured to the free end portions of said long legs, and agenerally U-shaped handle including a pair of parallel legsinterconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bightportion, the free ends of said parallel legs being telescopingly engagedin the free ends of said long legs for extension and retraction of saidhandle relative to said L-shaped frame, a pair of support arms prvotallysecured at corresponding base ends to sald long legs adjacent but spacedfrom said short legs for swinging of said support arms in planesdisposed generally normal to said long legs between retracted positionswith the free ends of said arms projecting toward each other andextended positions with the free ends of said arms projecting away fromthe free ends of said short legs, support wheels journaled from the freeends of said arms for rotation about axes transverse to said arms andlong legs, said handle and frame including coacting readily releasablelatch means for releasably latching said handle in said extended andretracted positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said long legs and said armsinclude coacting means operative to releasably retain said arms in saidretracted and extended positions.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a pair of flexible elongatedtension members having corresponding base ends anchored to the centralportions of said long legs, the other pair of free end portions of saidtension members including means for adjustable securement of saidtension member free end portions together.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a second pair of flexibleelongated tension members having corresponding base ends anchored tosaid first and second transverse brace means, the free end portions ofsaid second tension members including means for adjustable securementtogether.

5. The combination of claim 1 including a third transverse brace meansextending and secured between the mid-portions of said long legs, saidsecond and third transverse brace means including aligned bores formedthrough their mid-portions, said handle including a middle leg centrallyintermediate and paralleling said parallel legs, one end of said middleleg being supported from the mid-portion of said bight portion, saidmiddle leg being slidably received through said bores.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said short legs are tubular, apair of extension rods including corresponding ends removablytelescopingly receivable in the free ends of said short legs, saidsecond and third brace means including second and third pairs of alignedbores in which said extension rods are slidingly received, said thirdbrace means including abutment means establishing a limit of penetrationof said rods in the second and third bores formed in said thirdtransverse brace means.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said third brace means, said rodsand bight portion of said handle are disposed generally in the sameplane, said bight portion, when said handle is in said retractedposition, comprising an abutment engageable by adjacent ends of saidrods to prevent withdrawal of said rods from said second and third pairsof aligned bores.

8. The combination of claim 7 including a pair of flexible elongatedtension members having corresponding base ends anchored to the centralportions of said long legs, the other pair of free end portions of saidtension members including means for adjustable securement of saidtension member free end portions together.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a second pair of flexibleelongated tension members having corresponding base ends anchored tosaid first and second transverse brace means, the free end portions ofsaid second tension members including means for adjustable securementtogether.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said long legs and said armsinclude coacting means operative to releasably retain said arms in saidretracted and extended positions.

1. A handcart comprising a generally L-shaped frame including oppositeside transversely registered L-shaped side frame members each havinggenerally right angularly disposed tubular short and long legs, firsttransverse brace means extending between and secured to the free endportions of said short legs and second transverse brace means extendingbetween and secured to the free end portions of said long legs, and agenerally U-shaped handle including a pair of parallel legsinterconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bightportion, the free ends of said parallel legs being telescopingly engagedin the free ends of said long legs for extension and retraction of saidhandle relative to said L-shaped frame, a pair of support arms pivotallysecured at corresponding base ends to said long legs adjacent but spacedfrom said short legs for swinging of said support arms in planesdisposed generally normal to said long legs between retracted positionswith the free ends of said arms projecting toward each other andextended positions with the free ends of said arms projecting away fromthe free ends of said short legs, support wheels journaled from the freeends of said arms foR rotation about axes transverse to said arms andlong legs, said handle and frame including coacting readily releasablelatch means for releasably latching said handle in said extended andretracted positions.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said longlegs and said arms include coacting means operative to releasably retainsaid arms in said retracted and extended positions.
 3. The combinationof claim 1 including a pair of flexible elongated tension members havingcorresponding base ends anchored to the central portions of said longlegs, the other pair of free end portions of said tension membersincluding means for adjustable securement of said tension member freeend portions together.
 4. The combination of claim 3 including a secondpair of flexible elongated tension members having corresponding baseends anchored to said first and second transverse brace means, the freeend portions of said second tension members including means foradjustable securement together.
 5. The combination of claim 1 includinga third transverse brace means extending and secured between themid-portions of said long legs, said second and third transverse bracemeans including aligned bores formed through their mid-portions, saidhandle including a middle leg centrally intermediate and parallelingsaid parallel legs, one end of said middle leg being supported from themid-portion of said bight portion, said middle leg being slidablyreceived through said bores.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein saidshort legs are tubular, a pair of extension rods including correspondingends removably telescopingly receivable in the free ends of said shortlegs, said second and third brace means including second and third pairsof aligned bores in which said extension rods are slidingly received,said third brace means including abutment means establishing a limit ofpenetration of said rods in the second and third bores formed in saidthird transverse brace means.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein saidthird brace means, said rods and bight portion of said handle aredisposed generally in the same plane, said bight portion, when saidhandle is in said retracted position, comprising an abutment engageableby adjacent ends of said rods to prevent withdrawal of said rods fromsaid second and third pairs of aligned bores.
 8. The combination ofclaim 7 including a pair of flexible elongated tension members havingcorresponding base ends anchored to the central portions of said longlegs, the other pair of free end portions of said tension membersincluding means for adjustable securement of said tension member freeend portions together.
 9. The combination of claim 8 including a secondpair of flexible elongated tension members having corresponding baseends anchored to said first and second transverse brace means, the freeend portions of said second tension members including means foradjustable securement together.
 10. The combination of claim 9 whereinsaid long legs and said arms include coacting means operative toreleasably retain said arms in said retracted and extended positions.